Donna Wellworth posts a sign on the fence as demolition work continues Monday, April 15, 2013, at St. Patrick's Church in Watervliet, N.Y. The sign says "St. Patrick drove the snakes out of Ireland, and they found a home in Watervliet." (Skip Dickstein/Times Union)

Donna Wellworth posts a sign on the fence as demolition work continues Monday, April 15, 2013, at St. Patrick's Church in Watervliet, N.Y. The sign says "St. Patrick drove the snakes out of Ireland, and they

Demolition work continues at St. Patrick's Church Monday morning April 15, 2013 in Watervliet, N.Y. The workers were removing commemorative plaques from the vestibule of the church. (Skip Dickstein/Times Union)

Demolition work continues at St. Patrick's Church Monday morning April 15, 2013 in Watervliet, N.Y. The workers were removing commemorative plaques from the vestibule of the church. (Skip Dickstein/Times

Demolition work continues at St. Patrick's Church Monday morning April 15, 2013 in Watervliet, N.Y. The workers were removing commemorative plaques from the vestibule of the church. (Skip Dickstein/Times Union)

Demolition work continues at St. Patrick's Church Monday morning April 15, 2013 in Watervliet, N.Y. The workers were removing commemorative plaques from the vestibule of the church. (Skip Dickstein/Times

Construction equipment is seen outside of the former St. Patrick's Church on Sunday, April 14, 2013 in Watervliet, NY. Demolition of the church began on Saturday. (Paul Buckowski / Times Union)

Construction equipment is seen outside of the former St. Patrick's Church on Sunday, April 14, 2013 in Watervliet, NY. Demolition of the church began on Saturday. (Paul Buckowski / Times Union)

Photo: Paul Buckowski

Image 5 of 38

Image 6 of 38

Demolition of St. Patrick's Church in Watervliet began on Saturday morning. (Kenneth C. Crowe II/Times Union)

Demolition of St. Patrick's Church in Watervliet began on Saturday morning. (Kenneth C. Crowe II/Times Union)

Image 7 of 38

Angela Mastan of Citizens for St. Patrick's and her daughter, Olivia Miller, 6, are on site for the demolition of two side porches on Saturday, April 13, 2013, at St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church in Watervliet, N.Y. Olivia was baptized in the church. (Cindy Schultz / Times Union)

Angela Mastan of Citizens for St. Patrick's and her daughter, Olivia Miller, 6, are on site for the demolition of two side porches on Saturday, April 13, 2013, at St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church in

Demolition crews break after knocking down the right side porch on Saturday, April 13, 2013, at St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church in Watervliet, N.Y. (Cindy Schultz / Times Union)

Demolition crews break after knocking down the right side porch on Saturday, April 13, 2013, at St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church in Watervliet, N.Y. (Cindy Schultz / Times Union)

Photo: Cindy Schultz

Image 9 of 38

Demolition crews knock down the left side porch on Saturday, April 13, 2013, at St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church in Watervliet, N.Y. (Cindy Schultz / Times Union)

Demolition crews knock down the left side porch on Saturday, April 13, 2013, at St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church in Watervliet, N.Y. (Cindy Schultz / Times Union)

Photo: Cindy Schultz

Image 10 of 38

Image 11 of 38

Bystanders watch demolition crews knock down the left side porch on Saturday, April 13, 2013, at St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church in Watervliet, N.Y. (Cindy Schultz / Times Union)

Bystanders watch demolition crews knock down the left side porch on Saturday, April 13, 2013, at St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church in Watervliet, N.Y. (Cindy Schultz / Times Union)

Photo: Cindy Schultz

Image 12 of 38

Bystanders watch demolition crews knock down the left side porch on Saturday, April 13, 2013, at St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church in Watervliet, N.Y. (Cindy Schultz / Times Union)

Bystanders watch demolition crews knock down the left side porch on Saturday, April 13, 2013, at St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church in Watervliet, N.Y. (Cindy Schultz / Times Union)

Photo: Cindy Schultz

Image 13 of 38

Demolition crews pull off the copper roof from the left side porch on Saturday, April 13, 2013, at St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church in Watervliet, N.Y. (Cindy Schultz / Times Union)

Demolition crews pull off the copper roof from the left side porch on Saturday, April 13, 2013, at St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church in Watervliet, N.Y. (Cindy Schultz / Times Union)

Photo: Cindy Schultz

Image 14 of 38

Demolition crews remove the copper roof from the left side porch on Saturday, April 13, 2013, at St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church in Watervliet, N.Y. (Cindy Schultz / Times Union)

Demolition crews remove the copper roof from the left side porch on Saturday, April 13, 2013, at St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church in Watervliet, N.Y. (Cindy Schultz / Times Union)

Photo: Cindy Schultz

Image 15 of 38

Image 16 of 38

A worker removes a layer from the copper roofing on Saturday, April 13, 2013, at St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church in Watervliet, N.Y. (Cindy Schultz / Times Union)

A worker removes a layer from the copper roofing on Saturday, April 13, 2013, at St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church in Watervliet, N.Y. (Cindy Schultz / Times Union)

Photo: Cindy Schultz

Image 17 of 38

Demolition crews remove the coating from the copper roof on Saturday, April 13, 2013, at St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church in Watervliet, N.Y. (Cindy Schultz / Times Union)

Demolition crews remove the coating from the copper roof on Saturday, April 13, 2013, at St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church in Watervliet, N.Y. (Cindy Schultz / Times Union)

Photo: Cindy Schultz

Image 18 of 38

Demolition is underway of a building behind St. Patrick?s Church on Friday, April 12, 2013 in Watervliet, N.Y. (Lori Van Buren / Times Union)

Demolition is underway of a building behind St. Patrick?s Church on Friday, April 12, 2013 in Watervliet, N.Y. (Lori Van Buren / Times Union)

Photo: Lori Van Buren

Image 19 of 38

Demolition is underway of a building behind St. Patrick?s Church on Friday, April 12, 2013 in Watervliet, N.Y. (Lori Van Buren / Times Union)

Demolition is underway of a building behind St. Patrick?s Church on Friday, April 12, 2013 in Watervliet, N.Y. (Lori Van Buren / Times Union)

Photo: Lori Van Buren

Image 20 of 38

Image 21 of 38

Demolition is underway of a building behind St. Patrick?s Church on Friday, April 12, 2013 in Watervliet, N.Y. (Lori Van Buren / Times Union)

Demolition is underway of a building behind St. Patrick?s Church on Friday, April 12, 2013 in Watervliet, N.Y. (Lori Van Buren / Times Union)

Photo: Lori Van Buren

Image 22 of 38

Demolition is underway of a building behind St. Patrick?s Church on Friday, April 12, 2013 in Watervliet, N.Y. (Lori Van Buren / Times Union)

Demolition is underway of a building behind St. Patrick?s Church on Friday, April 12, 2013 in Watervliet, N.Y. (Lori Van Buren / Times Union)

Photo: Lori Van Buren

Image 23 of 38

A church relic stands among rubble from the demolition of a building behind St. Patrick?s Church on Friday, April 12, 2013 in Watervliet, N.Y. (Lori Van Buren / Times Union)

A church relic stands among rubble from the demolition of a building behind St. Patrick?s Church on Friday, April 12, 2013 in Watervliet, N.Y. (Lori Van Buren / Times Union)

Photo: Lori Van Buren

Image 24 of 38

Demolition is underway of a building behind St. Patrick?s Church on Friday, April 12, 2013 in Watervliet, N.Y. (Lori Van Buren / Times Union)

Demolition is underway of a building behind St. Patrick?s Church on Friday, April 12, 2013 in Watervliet, N.Y. (Lori Van Buren / Times Union)

Photo: Lori Van Buren

Image 25 of 38

Image 26 of 38

Demolition is underway of a building behind St. Patrick?s Church on Friday, April 12, 2013 in Watervliet, N.Y. (Lori Van Buren / Times Union)

Demolition is underway of a building behind St. Patrick?s Church on Friday, April 12, 2013 in Watervliet, N.Y. (Lori Van Buren / Times Union)

Photo: Lori Van Buren

Image 27 of 38

Demolition is underway of a building behind St. Patrick?s Church on Friday, April 12, 2013 in Watervliet, N.Y. (Lori Van Buren / Times Union)

Demolition is underway of a building behind St. Patrick?s Church on Friday, April 12, 2013 in Watervliet, N.Y. (Lori Van Buren / Times Union)

Photo: Lori Van Buren

Image 28 of 38

Exterior of St. Patrick's church on Friday, April 5, 2013 in Watervliet, N.Y. (Lori Van Buren / Times Union archive)

Exterior of St. Patrick's church on Friday, April 5, 2013 in Watervliet, N.Y. (Lori Van Buren / Times Union archive)

Photo: Lori Van Buren

Image 29 of 38

Preliminary work is starting March 11, 2013, on the demolition of the St. Patrick's Church in Watervliet, N.Y. (Skip Dickstein/Times Union archive)

Preliminary work is starting March 11, 2013, on the demolition of the St. Patrick's Church in Watervliet, N.Y. (Skip Dickstein/Times Union archive)

Photo: SKIP DICKSTEIN

Image 30 of 38

Image 31 of 38

St. Patrick's Church bell tower of on Thursday, April 4, 2013, in Watervliet, N.Y. (Cindy Schultz / Times Union archive)

St. Patrick's Church bell tower of on Thursday, April 4, 2013, in Watervliet, N.Y. (Cindy Schultz / Times Union archive)

Photo: Cindy Schultz

Image 32 of 38

Architect John Waite, along with members of Citizens for St. Patrick's, talks about the development at St. Patrick's Church on Thursday, April 11, 2013 in Watervliet, N.Y. (Lori Van Buren / Times Union)

Architect John Waite, along with members of Citizens for St. Patrick's, talks about the development at St. Patrick's Church on Thursday, April 11, 2013 in Watervliet, N.Y. (Lori Van Buren / Times Union)

Photo: Lori Van Buren

Image 33 of 38

Architect John Waite talks about the development at St. Patrick's Church on Thursday, April 11, 2013 in Watervliet, N.Y. Eileen Anderson, left, and Christine Bulmer, co-leaders of Citizens for St. Patrick's, stand behind Waite. (Lori Van Buren / Times Union)

Architect John Waite talks about the development at St. Patrick's Church on Thursday, April 11, 2013 in Watervliet, N.Y. Eileen Anderson, left, and Christine Bulmer, co-leaders of Citizens for St. Patrick's,

Attorney Rosemary Nichols talks about the development at St. Patrick's Church on Thursday, April 11, 2013 in Watervliet, N.Y. Eileen Anderson, left, and Christine Bulmer, co-leaders of Citizens for St. Patrick's, stand behind Nichols. (Lori Van Buren / Times Union)

Attorney Rosemary Nichols talks about the development at St. Patrick's Church on Thursday, April 11, 2013 in Watervliet, N.Y. Eileen Anderson, left, and Christine Bulmer, co-leaders of Citizens for St.

Wrecking machinery is parked behind St. Patrick's Church on Thursday, April 11, 2013 in Watervliet, N.Y. (Lori Van Buren / Times Union)

Wrecking machinery is parked behind St. Patrick's Church on Thursday, April 11, 2013 in Watervliet, N.Y. (Lori Van Buren / Times Union)

Photo: Lori Van Buren

Image 37 of 38

A photocopy of a picture purports to show the metal superstructure of St. Patrick's Church in Watervliet. The photo came from a Watervliet resident, and is believed to have been taken during its construction. (Photo provided by Citizens for St. Patrick's)

A photocopy of a picture purports to show the metal superstructure of St. Patrick's Church in Watervliet. The photo came from a Watervliet resident, and is believed to have been taken during its construction.

"The tower will probably be the last remaining part of the building," Powers said.

The tower is expected to be pulled back onto the collapsed building.

"Safety is important," Powers said. Crews are clearing the 3.5-acre site of the church, rectory, school and six residences to erect a 40,200-square-foot Price Chopper and two smaller commercial buildings.

The utilities to the site were disconnected and the church's loggia, or enclosed porch, steps, power plant and the brick hallway connecting the church and plant have been demolished.

On Monday, the plaques commemorating the donors who gave money to build the church were removed from the entrance. The plaques will go to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany, Powers said. The church opened July 4, 1889.

Under plans discussed Friday with the city, Fifth Avenue from 19th to 23rd Street will be closed during demolition. Trucks will enter from 23rd Street to go to the site's east boundary on Fifth Avenue to pick up debris and will exit from Fifth Avenue and head east on 19th Street when hauling away the debris.